Lori Citro & the Accidentals

Singer/songwriter/pianist

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Delaware...my home state, and the first state but not first in my year long 50 state tour. I'm sure there will be multiple gigs in Delaware but only the first one counts and that distinction goes to Bellefonte Café. Bellefonte Café, what can I say? Two years ago I was preparing to rehearse for a gig at Bellefonte when I slipped on the ice, fractured my elbow and got a concussion! My bandmates and I spent the night in the hospital instead of rehearsing. I will forever be grateful for them truly being there for me. For the better part of a year, I struggled to recover use of my arm and even completing a sentence! Every time that memory comes up on my FB feed, I experience a little PTSD. So it was with a great deal of trepidation that I booked Bellefonte Café exactly two years later ( even though I DID NOT fall there. I repeat, I DID NOT FALL THERE!) Well, Bellefonte Café, you are REDEEMED! We had an amazing night! The room was filled to capacity with advance reservations. (On a side note, our drummer Jeff's mom fell that week and fractured her leg in two places!!) And...while I was typing this blog, everything onscreen disappeared so I had to retype it! GEESH!

If you visit Bellefonte Café ( and really you SHOULD) they have a delicious menu with vegan and vegetarian options, local artwork gracing the walls and original local music most nights. This historic house café is a cute gem. Be sure to check out the story on the piano about the house, F. Scott Fitzgerald and the monkeys (real monkeys, not The Monkees.)

Okay, so I'm a little behind on the blogging part but state (and performance ) #2 was Kennett Flash in Kennett Square PA. This holiday show on Dec. 22 is a kind of an annual thing for me. I was joined by singer/songwriters Todd Chappelle and Lisa Jeanette and 18 kids from my lesson studio, which means I prepared all 18 students for their part in the performing, too. We sold about 60 tickets so quite a nice turnout. Sadly we had a fourth singer/songwriter scheduled but his wife passed a way the day before so for obvious reasons he didn't join us.

My FIRST state on the 50 state tour was on Oahu in Hawaii. Hawaii is beautiful, but I was plagued by a flu which I caught enroute. Not having equipment and feeling quite sick made getting my sh*t together extremely difficult. Initially, I tried to buy keys on Craigslist but the place seemed so sketchy so I decided to go to Guitar Center in Pearl City. I was just about to buy all the cheapest equipment I could afford for my gig when the cashier mentioned I could RENT it! ALL of it for $29.99 plus $30 refundable deposit. This included keys, case, stand, stool, pedals AND all cords!! WOW! What a bargain and CRUCIAL info for my 50 state TOUR.

My gig at Lokahi-Kailua Market went off without a hitch thanks to Michelle Horton. I am so grateful for the opportunity and all the PR while I was there. Hopefully I will get a chance to close out the tour and return to Oahu. Gonna be busy this year but can't wait to go back! If you are in Kailua, definitely visit this wonderful market on Sunday mornings full of sustainable products, coffees (macadamia nut...YUM!) If you say hello to woodworker and Ukulele maker Scott Carlson and Auntie Tutu.

With much trepidation, I decided to go on a tour of ALL 50 states within a year! It seemed like a brilliant albeit crazy idea when I got this brainstorm. I initially announced this in end of October on Facebook and within 8 hours had contacts and venues to 31 states. This seemed like a good sign from the universe. So today I am writing to you from Kailua,Hawaii. I arrived late last night my time but 5pm Hawaii time. Hawaii had been the hardest (so far) for me to pre-book because venues that I had been given contacts for either didn't respond or are no longer in business. But fortunately I finally got a great lead with Lokahi Kailua Market. I visit tomorrow to finalize details to play on December 8th! And today I walked to ChadLou's for coffee, struck up a conversation with a local and got three more contacts. So tonight I am heading to D'Vine Kailua Wine Bar in hopes of another chance to play. You should know I came with NO INSTRUMENTS so that is another hurdle, renting or borrowing gear.

I plan to do the local states throughout winter (easier to drive to and keep teaching) then late spring/summer go North to New England and West. Hope to hit the lion's share of states in the summer and I need to average 4 a month. Keep checking the schedule as I add dates. I already have December 22 at Kennett Flash in Kennett Square, PA andJanuary 4th, 2020 at Bellefonte Cafe, DE so that's three states so far...ONLY 47 TO GO!!

In the meantime, I am FINALLY finishing my "Save Our World" CD with Ritchie Rubini and Studio 825 and I recorded "Snow Day in Hawaii" scratch so I can do some video footage while I am here.

Well it was quite a weekend for me playing in the March Madness-esque Musikarmeggedon Solo Competition 2018 with some of my favorite solo artists Matt Casarino, Erin Kelsey, Brian Turner, Mike O'Neil, to name a few. Nothing like competing with friends. Margaret Kraft took home the prize. I have to admit my favorite part was playing the grand piano onstage at The Baby Grand...not something I get to do everyday!

Sunday I got to MEET one of my all-time favorite composers, David Foster, at the Keswick Theater and hear the Hitman himself in Concert. Wow! Mind-blown. I'm looking forward to his musical theater venture and if I'm super lucky, playing piano in rehearsals. A girl can dream <sigh>!